This invention relates to an apparatus for cleaning air filters.
Air filters are widely used on many motor vehicles and engines to extract dust and other materials from intake air into the engine to prevent the materials from damaging the moving parts of the engine. Many air filters are intended simply to be replaced after a period of use. Other air filters are intended to be washed or otherwise cleaned and replaced. Agricultural vehicles often operate in very dusty conditions and accordingly the air filter must be regularly cleaned to prevent throttling the air supply.
Compressed air lines have been proposed for cleaning such air filters by directing a blast of compressed air onto the inside surface of the filter to cause the collected material on the outside surface to be pushed away from the filter wall. This technique does however have the serious disadvantage that it is possible to damage the filter wall leaving an opening through which unfiltered air may enter. Such wall damage is sometimes not readily visible and hence the engine may be operated with a defective filter for a significant period of time often causing serious engine damage.
Washing of filters is of course often used but this has a significant disadvantage that it is necessary to wait while the filter dries before it can be replaced.